You’re staring at your closet the night before an interview, simultaneously planning an outfit and wondering if you’re really prepared for tomorrow's questions.
While 'just be yourself' is solid advice, it needs a bit more nuance in a professional setting. After all, your authentic self might prefer cozy sweats and casual conversations, but interviews call for a more polished version of you.
Whether you're interviewing for your dream role or just exploring new opportunities, these strategies will help you enter as your best professional self – the one who has their act together and actually remembered to check if their Zoom background features last week's laundry pile.
Your mission? Understanding what you're getting into.
Start with the job description. It's basically your interview cheat sheet – the company is literally telling you what their ideal candidate looks like. Emphasis on ideal. It’s an employer’s wishlist, not a checklist.
Review it and note the key requirements (Maybe even get a little wild and print it). These are your conversation targets you can aim for during the interview.
Look at your experience and the job requirements, then start fitting pieces together. Maybe your experience managing the office coffee supply chain doesn't sound impressive – until you realize it demonstrates inventory management and vendor relationships the job description asks for.
Create a list with three solid stories that showcase the skills outlined in the JD. Each story should include:
These stories are where you can show (not just tell) people your value and demonstrate your skills. These are the proven examples you can confidently share to show exactly what you bring to the table.
Here's where many candidates miss a crucial point: interviews are a two-way street. While it's easy to feel like you're just trying to impress the company, remember that you're also evaluating whether this workplace is right for you. You're not just a hopeful applicant – you're assessing your next career home.
At the end of almost every interview you’ll be prompted with “Do you have any questions for us?”
Instead of asking about company culture (which often gets you a rehearsed response), or saying you have no questions at all, try these:
Questions that get to the heart of the job give you better insights and show that you're genuinely invested in the role.
Asking great questions requires doing a little homework first. Here's where to dig:
Let's be real: nobody's perfect, but you can be prepared. Here's how:
Record yourself answering questions. Is it painful to watch? Good! Better to cringe now than during the actual interview. This is also a great way to catch any nervous habits you have so you can calm your foot-tapping preemptively.
Rope in a friend, family member, or patient pet to play interviewer. Bonus: pets won't judge your awkward responses.
Here's a secret that nobody talks about: use sticky notes to place simple notes (not full scripts) around your workspace! You can jot down small details like:
Interview prep isn't about pre-planning every detail of your interview, it's about being ready to have a meaningful conversation about your potential future.
Now go forth and prep! Your future self will thank you.
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